Beware … ‘Sharknado’ not the end of the beast

Not long ago, social media exploded over “Sharknado,” a thoroughly cheesy campfest blending sharks, a tornado, Ian Ziering, Tara Reid and a now-legendary sequence of a chainsaw-carrying Ziering leaping into a giant shark and rescuing a previously consumed woman by carving her out.

Endless replays have followed, along with merchandise, showings of “Sharknado” in movie theaters, and a planned sequel, “Sharknado 2: The Second One.”

But Syfy had plenty of crazy shark movies before “Sharknado” and it isn’t waiting for “Sharknado 2” to draw fans back. So welcome “Ghost Shark,” premiering at 9 p.m. Thursday, following a 7 p.m. replay of “Sharknado.”

There’s nothing on the level of the Ziering-chainsaw scene in “Ghost Shark.” Nor is the cast as high on the tackiness scale. The notables in “Ghost Shark” are “Night Court’s” Richard Moll and “7th Heaven’s” Mackenzie Rosman.

But when it comes to simple cinematic quality, “Ghost Shark” is on a par with “Sharknado,” just not as hilariously extreme. If you accept “Sharknado” as transcendently terrible, “Ghost Shark” ends up merely terrible.

“Ghost Shark” does have a plot, albeit one that Syfy sums up as: “It’s a shark that’s a ghost. Need anything else?”

Maybe a little more: A shark that’s abused then killed returns as a ghost — a translucent, glowing one that is intent on revenge.

But — spoiler alert — because this is a shark that is also a ghost, it can show up anywhere there is water. Let your imagination run wild. The filmmakers did.

Before “Sharknado,” it might have inspired Tweets in abundance. But now it’s just another bad movie. Need anything else?